TRIP DOSSIER
Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure FINLAND • Wilderness sauna every night • Chance to see the Northern Lights • Easy and fun snowshoe trekking near the Arctic Circle • No previous experience needed
Guided Group Departures Walking Grade: B – Moderate
Trip Code: TSSA For dates and prices visit www.walksworldwide.com
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01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
FINLAND
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Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
Introduction The location for this wilderness snowshoe adventure couldn’t be better. Just beneath the Arctic Circle and a snowball throw away from the Russian border, the forests and lakes of the Taiga in Finland are one of Europe’s last great wilderness areas. The Taiga is home to a variety of wild life including Wolf, Lynx, Bear (in hibernation in winter), Wolverine, Pine Marten, Elk and Reindeer. Fascinating winter bird life can also be discovered too, including Goshawk, Crossbill, Capercaillie and Black Grouse. During the course of this winter adventure we’ll certainly be looking out for footprints of these elusive and seldom seen creatures. Don’t worry if you’ve never used snowshoes before, as it’s very easy to pick up, no special boots are needed and if you haven’t got your own snowshoes then we can easily arrange for these to be rented locally for you. The essence of this special adventure is all about having fun whilst exploring on foot this vast and quite remote wilderness area. Daily walking distances are very modest as you walk through tall, dense forests, undulating low and broad ridges and across frozen lakes in the company of an expert, local guide. The chances are that you’ll meet more Reindeer than people whilst walking! Along the way, you’ll stop off for picnic lunches at specially created log shelters where an open fire can be quickly be prepared to brew some hot, fresh coffee…..bliss! Enjoy spending time in tranquil, isolated cosy log cabins with atmospheric wood fired stoves and saunas to keep out the winter chill. This is a great true adventure holiday for anyone who has never been snowshoeing before, as well as for those that would like to discover wild Europe in winter. And, who knows, maybe on one or more nights when you step outside your cabin after a tasty dinner and hot sauna you’ll see more than just the stars of the winter sky. Perhaps the magnificence of the “Northern Lights”, the Aurora Borealis will reveal itself in all its glory. Where but in the winter wilderness and the sound of silence could such a spectacle be more special?
statements of intent and not contractual obligations. We regularly update our trip dossiers to take into account changes to trekking routes, accommodation, local transport etc. Such changes are a factor of this type of holiday and when made are out of necessity. Other factors such as adverse weather, unforeseen circumstances and other matters entirely out of our control etc can also lead to enforced changes during the course of the holiday. It is not possible to guarantee that any of our holidays will operate exactly as per the anticipated itinerary. The most current trip dossier will be made available on our website. We will also send you the most up to date trip dossier with your “Final Joining Instructions” approx. 2 weeks before departure and you should carefully check this for any changes that may affect your plans. Before booking you should read our “Types of Trip” and “Essential and Useful information” sections on www.walksworldwide.com including our ‘Important Warning’. Please note that on this trip you may join up with clients from other tour operators.
Your holiday Walking conditions You will of course be walking over snow covered ground and frozen lakes. However, the terrain is not difficult, rather flat and undulating with no steep hills Daily walking distances are very modest by normal walking standards (6-8km per day) although in snow the time it takes to cover the distances is increased. However, as daylight hours at this time of year are also diminished (around 6 - 7 hours per day) in practice you’ll be snowshoeing for approx. 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. During the walking day you will only need to carry your usual daypack. A full explanation of the trip grading can be found online at www.walksworldwide.com. You should ensure you are comfortable walking at this level of grading and are physically prepared for the trip.
Important Note Due to the specialist nature of our holidays, day to day itineraries should be taken as a guide only, and as www.walksworldwide.com
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
FINLAND
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Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
Detailed itinerary Day 1 Rendezvous at Kuusamo then transfer to the Hossa region Rendezvous at Kuusamo Airport (via Helsinki). A single timed group transfer will be provided from Kuusamo Airport to the group accommodation in the Hossa region (See How to join and depart this trip later in this trip dossier). Tonight you can enjoy your first Finnish dinner and sauna! Log Cabin
Day 2 Snowshoe into the Taiga forests After a hearty Finnish breakfast your guide will give everyone who needs it an introductory session into snowshoeing techniques. In practice it takes only a little time to hone your skills, so there really is no need to try and prepare in advance by wandering around your local park with a couple of tennis racquets strapped to your feet. Your first wilderness snowshoe walk takes you on an exploration into the Taiga forests to the edge of the border zone. Initially heading through a narrow gorge and then across a couple of small lakes, to then follow the border zone south and to return to last night’s cabin. Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 7 km Log Cabin (breakfast)
Day 3 Snowshoe to log cabin via “Colour Rock” and a Kota Although the Taiga is both remote and mostly forest wilderness, there have been people living in this region for thousands of years, surviving as hunters. An example of this can be found as you first snowshoe to “Colour Rock” where you will discover rock paintings dating back over 4,000 years. En route a halt will be made at a Kota (a Lappish tepee) for a picnic lunch. You’ll be amazed at just how quickly your guide can get a good fire going and a pot of nice hot coffee brewed. Moving on you now head right into the middle of a forest to tonight’s isolated log cabin. Here you can relax in the sauna and enjoy the warming glow of a wood burning stove and enjoy another tasty Finnish supper. Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 6 km Log Cabin (breakfast & dinner)
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Day 4 See reindeer en-route to Lake IsoValkeinen Today in particular one eye should be on the lookout for Reindeer, and where there are Reindeer, often there are predators like the Wolf too. Thankfully (due to illegal hunting) the Wolf has a healthy fear of man, so although it is virtually impossible to encounter these magnificent animals in the wild, you may just come across paw prints in the snow, which may tell the story of what the Wolf pack was up too. The route follows a shallow ridge through beautiful snow covered pine, spruce and birch between two lakes (now frozen solid of course). Eventually you reach the northern shore of Lake Iso-Valkeinen, to tonight’s log cabin. Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 7 km Log Cabin (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 5 Trek through the Taiga forests to reach final log cabin Fuelled up after a filling Finnish breakfast, you then head across small ridges and frozen lakes, once more through the Taiga forests. The bears that inhabit this area are now in deep sleep, but there is always the possibility of coming across the huge Elk, or finding footprints in the snow from the elusive and now very rare Lynx. Stopping for lunch at a wooden shelter, the routine of getting a fire going and making a pot of coffee will now be familiar. In the afternoon you reach the log cabins to spend your final night in the Taiga winter wilderness. Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 8 km Log Cabin (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 6 Visitor Centre and Reindeer Farm We snowshoe out of the forests over several ridges to first reach the Hossa Visitor Centre. Here you can study the small exhibition about the nature and history of the area you’ve just travelled through and perhaps understand it better by relating to your own recent experiences in the wilds of the Taiga. After checking in to our cabin, there’ll be a visit this evening to the Hossa Reindeer Farm. Here you’ll get to meet and learn more about these semi-wild animals and their importance to life here by the Arctic Circle. A delicious farewell dinner
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Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
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Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
will be celebrated here at the Hossa Reindeer farm, where of course Reindeer will be on the menu! Tonight we stay in either Jatkonsalmi or Tolosenvirta cabins. Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 7 km Log Cabin (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 7 Depart After breakfast there will be a single timed group airport transfer from Hossa to Kuusamo Airport for your return flight to the UK via Helsinki. (breakfast)
Practical Information How to join and depart this trip The joining point for this trip is Kuusamo Airport arrivals hall on day 1 of the Trip Itinerary above. This transfer is included because your first night in the Hossa region is 90km from Kuusamo. If your flight times do not coincide with this, our consultants can arrange a transfer for you on request – please contact us for prices. The departure point for this trip is Kuusamo Airport on day 7 of the trip. A single group timed transfer from Hossa will be provided. If your flight times do not coincide with this, our consultants can arrange a departure transfer for you on request - please contact us for prices.
Flight Inclusive We recommend that you book this trip as a 'Flight Inclusive' package. Booking your international flights through Walks Worldwide guarantees you peace of mind and provides 100% financial protection under our CAA ATOL licence. What's more, if you book your flights with us as well as your ground arrangements, we will manage these flight arrangements both before and during your trip. As an ATOL Licence holder, we are able to secure and arrange competitively-priced airfares with most major airlines from the UK, as well as the option of regional departures too.
Land Only If you would prefer to arrange your own international travel you can book this trip as a 'Land Only' package, www.walksworldwide.com
where the price does not include international flights. Please note that if you are booking your own flights there are certain risks you should be aware of. Many airline tickets purchased directly are non-refundable and often do not provide you with any financial protection (unlike booking your flights with ourselves where you would be 100% protected under our CAA ATOL licence). For this reason we strongly advise that you check the rules of any flight booking you make, and check the limitations under any insurance policy you may have in relation to cancellation or date changes. We cannot be held liable for any losses incurred or consequences of any flight bookings or related travel arrangements you have made yourself, such as if your international flights were delayed or cancelled and you could not join or depart your holiday on time. If you do decide to book Land Only, we strongly advise that you do not book international flights or make other travel arrangements (especially if there are financial penalties for cancellation or change) until your chosen holiday is guaranteed to run. Please also ensure when making your own international travel arrangements that they enable you to join and depart this trip in accordance with the criteria specified in the How to join and depart this trip section of this Trip Dossier.
Local transport All transfers are by private vehicles.
Accommodation On days 1, 2, 3 and 6 the group will stay in either Tolosenvirta or Jatkonsalmi cabins. Rooms here are small dorms style and vary from 2-4 beds per room. There are shared shower and toilet facilities. On days 4 and 5 accommodation is in very remote and isolated log cabins in the Taiga wilderness, the essence and highlight of this winter wonderland adventure. By the very nature of their location these cabins afford simple, comfortable, warm and very atmospheric, cosy, accommodation in larger dormitories. These have wood stove heating, no electricity (oil burning lamp lighting), simple washing facilities (no showers) and outside toilet. In all the log cabins, accommodation will be allocated dependent upon the group size and gender split. Single and Private Rooms cannot be guaranteed in
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Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
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Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure advance on this trip. Sleeping bags will be provided for the nights spent in these log cabins. All the accommodation used throughout (including the remote log cabins) has saunas!
Food Of course food (even more so during the winter months) is important for a wilderness adventure such as this and all meals are included in the Land Only trip price. Breakfasts will include bread, porridge, muesli, yoghurt, cheese and cold meats as well as hot tea and coffee. For lunch you can enjoy hot soup and sandwiches as well as sausages and coffee cooked on an open fire. Dinners are hearty and usually consist of meat or fish, with vegetables and potatoes, salad, lots of bread and dessert. If you wish to have snacks during the course of the snowshoeing day (e.g. chocolate, energy bars etc) you should bring these along and carry them with you from home, as there aren’t any shops in the Taiga forests. Vegetarian meals are also possible but they must be ordered in advance and options will be limited!
Climate It is of course impossible to predict the precise weather conditions you will encounter during the course of your holiday. As this Snowshoe Adventure is scheduled for February, there is more daylight than the earlier winter months (around 9 hrs per day from 0800hrs to 1730hrs). It will of course be cold and temperatures will remain below freezing. Daytime temperatures may be between -5°C and -20°C and outside temperatures may fall to -30°C at night. Snowfall can occur at any time and some days may be cloudy and others sunny and clear. During the day the active nature of snowshoeing creates sufficient body heat to remain warm, along with the correct use of adequate winter clothing and external protection. When stopping for lunch, the body begins to cool down and thus an extra warm jacket (see clothing and equipment) to put on whilst resting is advisable and of course when stopping for lunch an open fire is quickly lit to create extra warmth. Although night time is very cold, as the log cabins have wood fired stoves and saunas, nights spent here will be cosy and warm.
Baggage Please make sure that your baggage is clearly marked with your name, inside as well as outside, in case the labels get detached. We request you limit your luggage to one piece of main baggage, and recommend you to pack your clothes in plastic bags to ensure they remain dry. As your main baggage will be transported by vehicle a normal suitcase can be used for your main baggage.
Vaccinations & health We always recommend visiting your doctor and dentist for a checkup before travelling. Your doctor will also have access to the most up to date information on vaccinations and medical precautions for the country you are about to visit. No vaccinations are necessary for Finland and health problems in the area we visit are quite rare.
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A useful travel health www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
online
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Please make sure that you obtain an EHIC form either online www.dh.gov.uk or from your local post office – you will need to produce this if you have to see a doctor.
First Aid You should always carry your own small, personal first aid kit. This should consist of the following: A general anti-biotic, throat lozenges, painkillers, plasters (bandaids), blister treatment, insect repellent (DEET), rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, diarrhoea treatment (e.g. Imodium).
Security Whilst the vast majority of travellers never experience anything untoward it is worth taking precautions particularly in urban areas. You should take sensible precautions in crowded areas such as street markets and airports, where pick-pocketing is common, and keep clear of any street disturbances. Don’t wear jewellery, or leave your bags unattended, keep large amounts of money, cameras and mobile phones out of sight when walking in town centres, and avoid walking in city centres after dark. Keep copies of important documents, including passports, in a separate place to the documents themselves, together with details of credit cards. Leave copies at home with a friend too. Safeguard valuables, important documents and cash and deposit them in cabin safes, where practicable.
Currency The Finnish currency is the Euro (€). You should either take your travel cash with you (in Euros) or obtain it from an ATM whilst in transit at Helsinki Airport. You will have no access to exchange facilities/banks whilst on trek, although you will also have little opportunity to spend money. Please refer to www.xe.com for up to date rates.
Language Whilst your guide and many of the people you might meet will speak excellent English it’s always a good idea to bring along a Finnish phrasebook and try and learn a few greetings and common courtesies. The locals will certainly appreciate any effort you make to speak the language and is all part of the fun.
Tipping There is no compulsory tipping on any of our treks. However tipping your guide is usual and any amount is at your discretion. Please remember that all tips should be a way for individuals to thank staff for good service.
Maps We recommend Stanfords at 12-14 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LP (Tel: 0207 836 1321) www.stanfords.co.uk.
Travel Insurance
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
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Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure It is a condition of booking any of our holidays that you have comprehensive travel insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure you are covered for medical and personal accident risks for the part of the world you intend to travel and the activities involved. This cover should include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue. It is also advisable to take out cancellation insurance as all deposits paid are nonrefundable. You may arrange either single-trip or annual multi-trip travel insurance through Walks Worldwide. Please call us on 01962 737 565 for a quotation.
Passports & Visas British passport holders (and other EU passport holders) do not require a visa for entry into Finland. Please ensure that your passport has at least 6 months validity remaining from the date of your return. You can obtain the latest visa information, as well as book your visa either by contacting your reservation consultant, or by following the link below to our designated visa service: http://www.walksworldwide.com/information/visa.html
Staff on your trip You will be accompanied by an experienced Englishspeaking guide throughout. Your main baggage will be transferred to each of your overnight halts by private vehicle.
Budgeting for your trip Please refer to the detailed itinerary for information on what is included in this trip. You will need to budget for meals and drinks not included in the holiday, any optional sightseeing, souvenirs and items of a personal nature such as laundry.
Clothing & Equipment Please check our website for the most up to date information regarding packing for your trip. The information we provide is our suggested guide to help you with your packing based upon our many years of travelling. Using your own judgment for packing is of course important, especially with regard to casual clothing etc. but please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about packing for your trip. Snowshoes and snowshoe poles if required can be rented for €40 (payable locally).
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01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
